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Kenya: Disabled for Education and Economic Development Support (DEEDS) and its connection with Ufungamano

Three news articles mentioning the Disabled for Education and Economic Development Support (DEEDS) were found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate (Daily Nation 19 July 2002; ibid.18 Nov. 1999; Xinhua 27 Nov. 2000)

On 19 July 2002, the Daily Nation published a letter from Vincent Oduor, the executive director of DEEDS - Kenya. The letter is in support of the initiative taken by Attorney-General Amos Wako and the Electoral Commission of Kenya to integrate disabled persons into the electoral process (Daily Nation19 July 2000).

A separate article published by The East African Standard reported that DEEDS, led by its executive director Vincent Oduor, joined the efforts of Kenya's Ministry of Health to convince parents to have their children vaccinated against polio (Xinhua 27 Nov. 2000).

In an 18 November 1999 report by the Daily Nation on the harassment of disabled city hawkers by the city council police (also known as "askaris"), DEEDS accused the askaris of "subjecting the hawkers to inhuman treatment and demanding sex with the women hawkers."

According to the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) web site, the CKRC recognizes DEEDS-Kenya as one of approximately 175 "National Civic Education Providers" (CKRC 30 Sept. 2001).

No additional information on DEEDS could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC). 30 Sept. 2001. "National Civic Education Providers." <http://www.kenyaconstitution.org/docs/04ad005.htm> [Accessed 26 Aug. 2002]

Daily Nation. [Nairobi] 19 July 2002. Vincent Oduor. "The Disabled Back Proposed Electoral Changes." <http://63.110.5.89/News/DailyNation/19072002/Letters/Letters12.html> [Accessed 26 Aug. 2002]

_____. 18 November 1999. "Askaris Harassing Disabled." <http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/181199/News/News15.html> [Accessed 26 Aug. 2002]

Xinhua. 27 Nov. 2000. "Kenyan Parents Urged to Have Children Vaccinated Against Polio." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

NEXIS

Internet sites including:

Africa Confidential

AllAfrica.com

BBC Africa

Daily Nation

Disability.DK

Disabled Peoples' International

East African Standard

Kenya Web

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

U.S. Department of State

Women's Human Rights Net

World News Connection (WNC)

Unsuccessful attempts to reach the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the East African Federation of the Disabled, the United Disabled Persons of Kenya, the Wheeled Mobility Centre, the Mennonite Central Committee and the Swedish Organization of Disabled Persons.

Search engines including:

Google